Figure 6.

Molecular mechanisms of isoflurane (Iso)-induced hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α expression in human prostate cancer cells. Cultured cells were treated with a PI-3K inhibitor, LY294002 (LY) (50 μM), or an ERK inhibitor, U0126 (U) (50 μM), dissolved in DMSO (D), for 16 h prior to 2% isoflurane, or 2% isoflurane combined with propofol (Pro) (4 μg ml⁻¹) for 2 h and then cell extracts were used for western blotting 24 h after treatment. Other cohort cultured cells were exposed to 2% isoflurane or propofol (Pro) (4 μg ml⁻¹) for 2 h and were then harvested immediately or 2–24 h after exposure. (A) HIF-1α; (B) p-Akt; (C) p-ERK; (D, E) p-Akt vs time course. Results are mean±s.d. (n=5); *P<0.05; **P<0.01 vs naïve control. ^#P<0.05; ^##P<0.01 vs Iso.